TWO YEARS AGO (location : New York)
Dhirendra Singh Raizada was getting restless. His intuition kept warning him of a certain peculiar happening. Something ominous was about to happen. Dread crawled all over his skin at a teasingly slow pace, causing knots of anxiety to curl up into his stomach, which was a complete nonsense to begin with.
He is the head of the Raizada Crime family for god’s sake, a damn Mafia, who would dare to stand against him, let alone try to hurt him.
No one could hurt him……except his daughter, his youngest child. After his wife’s death, she was the one who enlightened his dark world. Her smile, her eyes, her laughter, he promised himself that he would forever protect her.
After so many years still he missed her. A lot.
“There’s no use crying over the spilt milk. Focus on the meeting.” Chiding himself mentally, the head of one of the most dangerous Mafia family, looked over at his watch as he walked towards his office for the meeting that was going to commence in a couple of minutes.
“You okay father?” Heaving a sigh, he entered the room, looking up at the owner of the familiar voice.
Sambhav Singh Raizada, his eldest son, who was already sitted in his chair with a stoic expression on his face.
“I’m fine Son. Don’t concern yourself. It’s nothing.”
A knock sounded outside the door, halting the conversation in between. Knowing already about the intruders, the older man commanded, authority clear in his voice.
“Come in.”
The door opened and walked in three of his high ranking members of the association.
After greeting the boss and his son, they gradually took their seat and finally the meeting began.
One and a half hours into the meeting and loud firing of gun resonated through the hallway. They all stood up immediately, guns aimed at the door, as the shouting and firing grew louder until it stopped all of a sudden.
The office door abruptly shoot open, revealing a man in his mid 40s supporting a gun wound on his right shoulder, otherwise he was pretty unharmed.
“You…?!!!” Dhirendra breathed out in disbelief and anger.
“What the hell are you doing here Kanishk? How dare you to show me your face again after betraying me!!!”
“I DID NOT betrayed you.” He spoke solemnly.
“I did what I was supposed do. I fulfilled the oath I had taken years before.” The man Kanishk gritted out forcefully.
“And yet you helped my sister to run away!!!!” Sambhav Raizada bellowed furiously, trying hard to escape from the clutches of the men who were restraining him from stepping towards the intruder.
“I pledged my loyalty for the Raizada’s. You can behead me if you wish but, please listen to me at least once Boss.” He pleaded desperatly.
Dhirendra Singh Raizada was conflicted. On one hand, he wanted nothing more than to behead the man who helped his daughter to run away while a major part of him wanted to know the reason behind his betrayal.
Nodding his head, he motioned for him to continue but not before sending a look to his son, an indication to stand quietly.
“I don’t know where to start exactly….” Kanishk coughed awkwardly.
Tension was so thick in the room that you cut it out easily with a knife.
“The blood shed could’ve been avoided but I can’t blame you completely. It’s not your fault alone.” Gazing down at the floor, sorrow loomed over his vision but he continued none the less.
Sighing, he began speaking again.
“To cut it short, Niharika ran away with the man she loved because she knew their love wouldn’t be accepted by either of the families. Because for them they have sinned.” He spat bitterly.
“So what do you expect haan? How could we ever accept the fact that she loved that b*****d Shekhar? That man was just playing with my sister’s heart. Our enmity runs too deep for it to be diminished for love.” Sambhav yelled out furiously.
“You could’ve given them a chance. They both loved each other truly. But what they got? A damn blood shed? A war with the Suryavanshi’s ?!!!!!”
“And you helped her. ”
Dhirendra who till now was silent, accused with a hint of rage clearly visible in his hard tone.
“I did.” Kanishk accepted, running a hand through his hair to ease out the frustration.
“I had sworn long ago to protect the Raizada princess before everyone, even the boss. From generations my family had protected the daughter of Raizada’s and I did what I had to. Even if it meant helping her to escape.” He replied stoically.
“Then what are you doing here? Is my Princess coming back?” Dhirendra asked, a hope shining in his eyes.
“No……” A pain shot through Kanishk’s eyes as he chocked out his response.
“What do you mean? Tell us where is my sister? Where is she? I’ll myself go out to bring her back with me. I don’t even care about that man. There was a time when she couldn’t even live without us for few hours. It had been 20 years now. Tell me where is she dammit?!!!!!! ” Sambhav yelled frustratedly.
“Y-you can’t. She died one year after she ran away.”
“No.” Sambhav whispered in disbelief while his father painfully closed his eyes shut.
“She is dead. They both are.”
“Then what are you here for Kanishk? You didn’t come here just to inform me about my daughter’s death knowing what danger it impose for you to even step a foot in my territory. What’s the purpose?” Dhirendra asked without an ounce of emotion but the slight stutter in his voice gave him away.
“As I said I swore to protect the Raizada Princess and my duty will continue Boss…….” Kanishk trailed off looking at him dead in the eyes, silently urging him to understand the underlying meaning behind his words.
As the realisation started sinking in, Dhirendra’s eyes widened in disbelief and unfathomable happiness.
Nodding his head in gratitude, glad that his Boss grasped the meaning, he walked out of the door.
“Give me a minute.” He muttered.
Sambhav, who was confused with the exchange turned to his father for an explanation.
Before he could word out his dilemma, he heard footsteps approaching towards the office, and Kanishk entered inside, though this time he was not alone.
Behind him was a young girl, not older than 19 years , with mid night black hair cascading down her back in waves. As she faced him, Sambhav felt like he had been knocked out, leaving him breathless.
She was an exact replica….of Niharika. Her eyes just like his sister’s had been.
Overwhelmed due to all the attention directed at her, she squeaked cutely, hiding behind Kanishk.
“Hey Princess, it’s alright. You remember what I told you about your mother right?” Kanishk questioned softly, urging her to calm down.
The girl nodded meekly, stealthily peaking behind him.
“A-are you my g-grandpa?” She questioned softly. Her voice barely above a whisper.
Dhirendra looked at the girl before him.
“Yes Princess, I am. What’s your name sweetie?”
“Oh yeah?!!!” Her eyes widened excitedly, all the nervousness melting in an instant at the prospect of meeting her mother’s side of family and in a matter of seconds the ruthless Mafia Don found himself engulfed in a big bear hug.
The Don felt as though his heart could burst any second from happiness and love for the girl he met just moments ago.
Very gently, he embraced her like she was a china doll in his arms.
He was overpowered with the emotions that he buried deep inside after losing his daughter. The unparalleled joy engulfed him looking at he last piece of what was truly left of his daughter, besides her memories.
The girl was his daughter’s daughter, his precious granddaughter. The only Raizada Princess.
She was Ragini Singh Raizada.
If you’re confuse as to why Ragini would use her mother’s surname then in this story, the Raizada’s treat their daughters like a princess and it’s common in the Mafia to use their mother’s surname. I hope Now you got the answer as to why Raizada surname was attached to her name.
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